The main purpose of this study was to determine societal variable influencing substances abuse among the youth of Calabar South Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. To achieve the aim of this study, two objectives and two research questions were formulated to guide the study. Literature related to the variables under study was reviewed. The descriptive research design was adopted for the study. The essence of this design was to allow the researchers make inference and generalization of the population by selecting and studying the sample chosen for the study. A total sample of one hundred and seventy-five (175) respondents was randomly selected for the study. The selection was done through the simple random sampling technique. This was to give every member of the population equal and independent opportunity to be selected for the study. The main instrument used for the collection of data was the questionnaire. The questionnaire was subjected to face validation by experts in Measurement and Evaluation/Research and Statistics in the Faculty of Education who vetted the Items developed. The reliability estimate of the instrument was established through the test-retest reliability method. Data were collected personally by the researchers with the help of some research assistants. To analyze the data for the study, simple percentage and chi-square (x2) analysis was adopted. The results in Table 4.1 shows that 30 (17.14%) of the total respondents were between 12-18 years, 85 (48.57%) were between 19-25 years, while 60 (34.29%) were 26 and above. For sex, 165 (94.29%) of the total respondents were male, 10 (5.71%) were female. Similarly, for educational level, the result in shows that 70 (40.00%) respondents had no formal education, 50 (28.57%) had their primary education, 45 (25.71%) had their secondary education and 10 (5.71%) had their tertiary education. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that the Ministry of Education (Federal and State) should as a matter of urgency add to their curriculum drug education for both the primary and post primary schools in the country and they should always organize lectures, rallies, seminars and film shows for the Nigeria youths on the adverse effects of substance abuse.
Keywords: Prevalence, and youths., societal variables, substances abuse
